Attacking west a sin, say Saudi clerics

[struggle4progress]

Six Saudi preachers seen as influential with Islamist extremists yesterday denounced attacks on westerners as a "grave sin" under Islam.

"The bombings and killings have revolted people and hurt individuals and their property, and no one with the slightest knowledge of Islam can doubt that this is an atrocious crime and grave sin," they said in a statement carried by Saudi media.

The statement came amid an escalation by militants loyal to the Saudi-born Osama bin Laden of their campaign to oust the kingdom's pro-US monarchy and drive out westerners.
<snip>

The preachers included Safar al-Hawali and Salman al-Odeh, who have been imprisoned for demanding reforms and criticising the powers of the Saudi royal family.
<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/saudi/story/0,11599,1239062,00.html

[rumguy]

1. Encouraging development

I like that even preachers who are critical of the Saudi royal family are speaking out against the horrid murders....

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. Now, to get 6 fundies to reply in kind.

"The bombings and killings have revolted people and hurt individuals and their property, and no one with the slightest knowledge of <Christianity> can doubt that this is an atrocious crime and grave sin..."

[struggle4progress]

7. Amen!

[hightime]

3. Six Saudi preachers seen as influential with Islamist extremists yesterday

deposited a large sum of money in their anonymous bank accounts.
Knowing that is is not a "grave sin" to sell out.

[wickerwoman]

4. Oh please!

So the only possible way Muslim clerics could be against violence against civilians is if the US paid them?

Breath and repeat after me: "Islam is not the enemy. Islam is not the enemy."

Or are you on a crusade of your own?

[hightime]

5. I am VERY disillusioned with religions in general.....

and supernatural belief explicitly.

[wickerwoman]

6. I'm not religious either.

That has nothing to do with assuming that if someone is religious they must be a sell-out.

I don't believe in the supernatural either- but I do believe in respecting others until they give me a reason not to.

Arguing that we must have paid them off just feeds into the right-wing racist notion that all Muslims hate Westerns automatically. I sit around at work all day listening to wing-nuts claiming we should just nuke them all, they never apologized for 9/11 or condemned al Qaeda.

And here are some clerics making a gesture and you want to shit all over it because you have a problem with religious people?

[stevedeshazer]

8. This is a good thing, if true

It's an affirmation that there are some reasonable Saudi clerics who denounce violence. It may signal a truce between the Bush and Bin Laden families.

Or it my be complete bullshit. The Guardian is pretty reliable, however. I lean toward the former.

[struggle4progress]

9. Uh, the Bush and bin Laden families aren't at war ....

they're long time business associates.

[stevedeshazer]

10. Sure

But the bin Laden family has the Osama faction, not all of them support the Osama point of view as I have come to understand it. That's all I'm saying. Guess I could have worded that a little better.

Interesting piece nonetheless. Thanks for posting it.

It sure can't hurt to have Saudi clerics calling for moderation.

[Algomas]

11. Were these clerics Wahabi?

That would be very encouraging. Did you see the interview with the Iranian Nobel winner today on DN? She took pains to distance Islam from the terrorists, saying that the West uses religion as an excuse to make war. After the US takes on Islam, there will have to be a crusade against the godless Hindus or some other wog culture.

These are my words but her sentiments.
It was an amazing interview!!

[0rganism]

12. "Whatever you do, don't ATTACK THE AMERICANS! "

"Do you people understand? It would just be horribly wrong for you to BLOW UP THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN RIYADH. We would be very upset if you DETONATE AN EXPLOSIVE-LADEN CAR AT THE GATE. In no way would we COMPENSATE THE FAMILY of such a misguided jihadist with THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. Even if muslims across our country considered the bomber to be A HOLY MARTYR, it would still be a sin in the eyes of Allah. Thank you and good night."

(note to FBI/Secret Service lurkers: this post is intended entirely as satire, I have no knowledge of any actual terrorist plots, at home or abroad, with or without Saudi involvment, with us or against us, by hook or by crook, hello carnivore. Thank you and good night.)